Dispenser for rolled paper



July 12, 1960 Y A. P. MAIER 2,944,749

' DISPENSER FOR ROLLED P$PER Filed Feb. 18, 1955 'INVENTOR. I

United se PatfifitO DISIIENSER FOR nonnnnrnrnn @An'ton PhMaier, 3410 W.LaytonAve, Greenfield, Wis.

- Filed Feb. 1s,'19 ss','ser. 489,199

2Claims. c1. m-ssz This invention relates generally to a dispenser-formounting;

rolled paper and more particularly to an improved dispenser fordispensing rolled paper in sheets of a length established byperforations across the width of the paper at equal intervals along itslength. 7

. Paper towels, toilet paper, and similar paper specialties are oftenfurnished in rolls with the roll being divided torn from the roll, it isnecessary to hold the roll with one hand while tearing the sheet offwith the other hand. If the roll is not held either by hand or by amechanical device, and the sheet is pulled sharply to'tear it"ofl theroll, the instantaneous force applied causes the roll to overrun on itsspindle after the sheet has been torn away, and the paper unrolls fromthe roll to hang downwardly from it, leaving it unsightly, and rendersit increasingly inconvenient for subsequent use.

It is therefore a general object 'of'the present invenespecially adaptedto remove the paper in relatively short lengths from the continuousroll;

Another object of the present invention 'is'to provide an improveddispenser for rolled paper 'with simple-restricting means for preventingoverrun ot the roll from v the force jappliedto tear a sheet; off of theroll.

A still further object is to provide a dispenser for struction which isconvenient and"'eflicien't-in operation.

" "According to this invention'the improved' dispenser for rolled papercomprises a bracket having'an' extending arm for supporting the roll'ofpapen pair ofrings 2,944,749. Patented July 12, 196.0

. 2 ing detailed description of .an embodiment thereof, may be achievedby the apparatus herein described by wayof example, in connection with"the illustrations'of its structural components in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

. Figural is a :VIEW in front elevation depicting" 'a dis penserembodying the features-of the present invention,

with one of the ringsbeing broken away to illustrate its FigureZ is aplan Figure 1; w I

Figure 3 is a view in side elevatic m of the "dispenser depicted inFigure 1, with a portion of one of the'rings broken away to illustrateits mounting; .and

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view ofone ofthe two rings whichsupport the roll of paper. 7

Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings showing adispenser for rolled paper embodying the principles of the presentinvention and comprising ,an L' shaped bracket 5 for mounting thedispenser on .a wall or other structure. The L shaped bracket 5 includesa short leg 6 and a long leg 7 with the latter being in the shape of atruncated triangle as seen in Figure 3, with its base joining'the shortleg 6 and its line of truncation constituting the juncture withan arm 8disposed substantially perpendicular to the long leg 7. Thus, the longleg 7 serves to support the "arm 8 in spaced relation to the Wall toprovide clearance for a roll of 'paper carried by it The short leg 6 isprovided with a pair of holes for receiving screws 9 which are screwedinto the .wall

7 to secure the dispenser thereto.

It will be noted that the drawings illustrate the short leg 6, the longleg 7, and the arm 8 formed integrally from a single sheet of metal-bentat the junctures of the three members as a preferred embodiment; ,Suchconstruction is very inexpensive but sturdy, it being only necessary tostamp the sheet of metal to the required configuration and then bend thestamping to form the three members described. r

The arm 8 is provided with two pairs of notches 14 'tion to provide animproved dispenser for rolled paper with the notches of each pair goppositely fdl'spo'sefd across the width of the arm 8, and the two pairsof notches 14 beingdisposed in spaced relationship along to receive aringor annular member 15 'fabrlicated of' rubber or other similarmaterial, it having been found .that a material having ,a relativelyhighy-friction'al rerolled paper of simple "and inexpensive but sturdycon.

carried by the two rings on the arm. 'Sufiicient clean I ance isprovided between the outer diameter of the rings and the inner diameterof the core of theroll .of paper to permit the roll to revolve aboutthe'two rings when a light steady tangential force is applied to therollby drawing easily upon the exposed end of the roll-of paper.

H when ar wt n e r is applied the, roll ,as will result from tearing a:sheet ofi of the roll, the frictional resistance of the rings functionsto restrict the rotation of the roll of paper, permitting the which willbecome more fully apparent from the followwithin the notches 16 oftheringsglS. With this arrangement'the rings 15 are seeurely fiir'edsistance to sliding movement with the coreof the'roll ef paper ispreferable for producingthe retardin'g etl'ect'p'n the rotation of theroll of paper, and a'fieiiible ymaterial will facilitate the assembly ofthe will be presently seen. 1

A portion of the rings 15 are disposed within the 'notche's ld' toprevent their lateral movement; alongfithe arrn '8,- but theirperipheries extend beyond the longitudinal edges of'the arm 8 for thepurpose of receiving the roll of paper. In order to produce thedesired'eflec't it'is preferred that the rings 15 do not rotate relative to thearm 8," and to this ,end diametrically opposite slots or notches 16 areformed in the rings--15 in their inner diameter as seen in Figures 3 and4. The dimension'of the arm 8 between the bottoms of {each pair ofnotches #14 IiS greater than the inner diameter of the rings -15'so thatin order to place the rings in the notches 14 it is necessary to insertthe edges of the bottom of the notches {14 on the arm 8, the notches '14prevent-ing their lateral movementon-the arm 8, and the notches 16preventing 7 their rotational movement relative to the arm 8, If therings 15 are fabricated of a flexible material, such as rubber, it is asimple matter to flatten their rotundity and view of the dispenser shownrings on-the arm 8-as '1 distend their inner diameter in the plane ofthe arm to clear the notches 14 so that they can be slid off of the arm8.

. Paper of the type for which the dispenser is intended usually rolledupon a cardboard core,'andthe outer diameter of therings 15 is smallerthan the inner} diameterjof the core .to' provide enough clearanceso'that the fit between the rings 15 and the core of the roll ofpaperwill not interfere with the rotation of the roll on the rings. With sucharrangement, the roll of paper will rotate freely when a lighttangential force is applied to its outer diameter by an easy steady pullon the extend ing end of the paper, but its rotation will be retarded bythe frictional resistance of the rings 15 when a sharp force is appliedas will occur when a sheet of paper is torn off'of the end of the roll.

The roll of paper is indicated diagrammatically in the drawings bybroken lines and is identified by the reference numeral 20. It is shownassembled to the dispenserwith its core embracing the rings 15 to besupported thereby for the limited rotational movement as described.

In order to retain the roll of paper 20 on the arm 8, the latter isprovided with a retainer member 21 at its extending end secured to thearm 8 for pivotal move? ment relative thereto 'by a rivet 22 or othersuitable securing means. A spring 23 is interposed under one head of therivet 22 to maintain the retainer 21 in frictional contact with the endof the arm 8 for the purpose of maintaining the retainer 21 in a desiredpivotal position. To retain the roll of paper 20 on the arm 8 it is onlynecessary to position the retainer 21 transversely of the arm 8 asillustrated in solid lines in Figure 1 so that it will interfere withlateral movement of the roll 20 off of the arm 8. When it is desired toplace a roll of paper on the arm 8, or remove it or its core therefrom,the retainer 21 maybe simply pivoted into alignment with ,the arm 8 asillustrated in broken lines in Figure l, and the core of the roll ofpaper may be readily passed over it in either direction.

Such construction, in which a pair of rings is provided for supportingthe roll of paper in lieu of the customary cylindrical spindle, isrelatively inexpensive. These rings are additionally advantageous inthat they may have a surface presenting frictional resistance to slidingmovement with the core of the roll of paper, so that when a sharp forcetending to rotate the roll of paper is applied, the rings will retardthe rotation of the roll and prevent it from. overrunning when a sheetof paper is torn off of it.- ou the other hand, the frictionalresistance' of the rings will not interfere with the rotation of theroll when a light force is applied to unroll a portion of the paper fromthe roll. The paper may therefore be readily manipulated with one handby simply pulling lightly on the extending end of the roll of paper tounroll the desired length of paper from the roll, and then applying asharp force to tear the length from the roll without the rolloverrunning. The tearing operation is facilitated by the presence ofperforations or other paper weakening means across the width of thepaper at intervals to establish the individual sheets forming thecontinuous roll, as the separation-of the paper will occur in a straightline along such perforations.

From the foregoing detailed description of the construction andoperation of a practical embodiment of the dispenser for rolled paperprovided by the present invention, it will be apparent that theapparatus is of simple construction especially adapted for dispensingsheets of paper from a continuous roll and preventing the II'OH fI'OIIIoverrunning due to the force applied in tearing Ia sheet ofi of theroll.

Although the illustrative embodiment of the invention has been describedin considerable detail for the purpose of setting forth an operative andpractical exemplifying structure, it is to be understood that thestructure shown and described is intended to be illustrative only, andthat various characteristics of the invention may be incorporated inother structural forms without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

The principles ofthe invention having now been fully explained inconnection with the foregoing description of embodying structure, Ihereby claim as my invention:

1. In a dispenser for rolled paper having an axial cylindrical opening,a bracket adapted to'be mounted on a supporting structure, an armcarried by said bracket in spaced relationship to the supportingstructure, said arm having a plurality of notches spaced along itslength, a plurality of flexible rubber rings having a smooth unbrokenperipheral surface and an outer diameter smaller than the diameter ofsaid cylindrical opening and carried by said arm in said notches inaxial alignment for insertion into said cylindrical opening to supportthe roll on their peripheries for rotation relative thereto, said ringshaving slots formed in their inner diameters for receiving the bottomedges of said notches, and a retainer operatively secured to said arm toprevent lateral displacement of the roll of paper off of sai-drings,whereby the peripheral surface of said rubber rings presents africtional resistance to sliding movement with the paper about saidcylindrical opening to retard overunning of the roll when a sharptangential force is applied as will occur when a sheet of paper is tornoff of the roll, and the notches in said arm preventlateral'displacement of the rings on the arm while the bottom edges ofthe notches in the slots of said rings prevent the rings from rotatingrelative to the arm.

2. In a dispenser for rolled paper having an axial cylindrical opening,a bracket adapted to be mounted on a supporting structure, an armcarried by said bracket in spaced relationship to the supportingstructure, said arm having a plurality of notches spaced along itslength, a plurality of rings having a smooth unbroken peripheral surfacepresenting a frictional resistance to sliding movement with the paperforming said cylindrical opening, said rings having an outer diametersmaller than the diameter of said cylindrical opening and being carriedby said arm in said notches in axial alignment for insertion .into saidcylindrical opening to support the roll on their peripheriesfor-rotation relative thereto, said rings having diametrically oppositeslots formed in their inner diameters for receiving the bottom edges ofsaidnotches, and aretainer operatively secured tosaid armto retain theroll of paper on saidrings, whereby the roll of paper may be rotatedon'said rings by pulling steadily upon the .outer end of the roll ofpaper, but the peripheral surface ;of said rings will retard overrunningof the roll when a sharp tangential force is applied as will occur when.a sheet of paper is torn off of the roll, and the notches in said armprevent lateral displacement of the rings on the arm while the bottomedges of the notches in the slots of said rings prevent the rings fromrotating relative to the arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS

